(THREAD) There's lots of confusion about the new travel rules to #Thailand b/c of #Omicron. There's bigger confusion for those scheduled to arrive here and what they're facing, leading a lot of frantic queries (RIP my inbox).

Here's a breakdown of the contradictory statements.
1) First, about #Omicron: The #COVID19 variant is wreaking havoc across the world, leading many countries to re-introduce restrictions. #Thailand has at least 63 confirmed #Omicron cases with dozens of more suspected cases being analyzed, as a domestic transmission is feared.
2) Since Nov 1, in a bid to revive tourism, #Thailand introduced a nearly quarantine-free scheme for fully vaccinated arrivals from selected countries (called "Test & Go". They'd only need to stay for 1 night and can leave when their PCR test is negative.
3) The @thaimoph and its minister Anutin Charnvirakul already proposed on Monday to suspend the "Test & Go" scheme because of #Omicron. At that point, it wasn't decided yet but some thought it was already the case.
4) The @oc_ccsa, the Thai govt's #COVID19 task force, also hinted on Monday that "adjustments" would need to be made amidst #Omicron. But again, no decision was made yet at that time.
5) On Tuesday, after the weekly cabinet meeting, PM @prayutofficial called in an emergency meeting of the @oc_ccsa to discuss what to do with #Omicron and what to do with the tourists they were hoping to return to #Thailand to revive its broken economy.
6) At about 3pm, PM @prayutofficial came out of the @oc_ccsa meeting and spontaneously talked to the press, who were not expecting him as he has ignored them previously for a completely different matter.
7) So, PM @prayutofficial came out to the press to bear the news. This is how we reported it first.
8) More crucially, PM @prayutofficial also said this, obviously causing a lot of concerned and panicked tourists that have planned their holidays here in the weeks to come:
9) But then moments later, the regular post-cabinet meeting did NOT mention anything about a quarantine for arrivals already signed up under the "Test & Go" scheme:
10) The @MFAThai also later clarified many of the points made by the govt earlier, incl. the timing when the new rules come into effect.
11) So what happened? Basically it was the PM's first words. He said (highlighted part): "That also applies for Thais that have signed up, but from today onwards, (arrivals) have to go through the new scheme, which means quarantine again for 7 or 10 days or whatever applies."
(Source for quote: Matichon Online matichon.co.th/politics/news_…)
12) Just to be clear: The mention of quarantine for arrivals that have already signed up for the "Test & Go" scheme was only mentioned once by the PM and never again by anyone else. So was that a mistake, or a misunderstanding. Whatever it is, it doesn't seem to be the case now.
13) And yes, it's possible that the PM was misinterpreted (some govt-aligned online trolls are already out calling "fake news").
14) The bigger problem is the sequence of things: within 20 min, the PM's own spox contradicted him. In other words, one clear briefing would've avoided it

In the words from the 1967 movie "Cool Hand Luke": "What we've got here is failure to communicate" (END)

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More from @SaksithCNA

21 Dec
(THREAD)

What we know about the new travel restrictions (5.45pm):

1) #Thailand to suspend new applications for (nearly) quarantine-free entry for fully vaccinated travelers form 63 countries and territories due to #Omicron variant from Dec 22 onwards to (at least) Jan 4, ’22.
2) All approved #ThailandPass holders can still enter Thailand as scheduled, but will have to undergo a 2nd PCR test at a “govt-assigned facility” on the 7th day at no extra cost. All those that are still waiting for their confirmation are advised to wait until it.
3) All new arrivals (meaning those applying for a #ThailandPass after Dec 22) to #Thailand can only enter via a hotel quarantine or via the #PhuketSandbox scheme. Duration differs depending on departure location and vaccination status.
Read 4 tweets
10 Sep
THREAD: Today, a joint-session of the Thai parliament will attempt to vote on const. amendments - again. It’s the bare minimum of reforms the elected MPs could agree on, but the senators appointed by the prev. military govt could fail it - again. Here’s what we’re dealing with.
1) First a small history lesson: Following the 2014 military coup, the junta at that time (led by then army chief @prayutofficial) commissioned a new constitution that aims to prevent what they and their like-minded proponents called “parliamentary dictatorship”.
2) “Parliamentary dictatorship” was a thinly-veiled reference to any elected govt since 2000 that were won by parties led by @ThaksinLive and its later re-incarnations, popular but also accused and perceived to be corrupt by its enemies.
Read 16 tweets
9 Sep
A major shake-up in the @prayutofficial govt. Thamanat is/was a coalition enforcer who rose through the ranks of the (@pprpthailand despite his Australian drug trafficking conviction) who commands dozens of MPs. @DrNarumonP is also a senior party member. Looks like a faction war
Outgoing Dep-Agric. Min Thamanat tells reporters at parliament he’s resigning out of his own and has been thinking about it “for a few months already”. He was rumored to have led a failed attempt to topple PM @prayutofficial at last week’s no-confidence vote.
More background on last week’s “plot” against PM @prayutofficial in the no-confidence vote that wasn’t in this thread below.

It seems that Thamanat has overplayed his hand with this gambit - but he’s still sec-gen of the ruling @pprpthailand.
Read 8 tweets
16 Jun
LIVE-THREAD: Thai PM @prayutofficial is scheduled to hold a televised address this evening at 6pm BK following the national anthem.

Follow along for live updates of the speech.
PM @prayutofficial: “With the rapid progress of the vaccination program, I would like to update on the roadmap ahead of our recovery from #COVID19.”
Prayut: “We have made fast progress negotiations with #COVID19 vaccine suppliers. Now we have 6 incl. Pfizer, Johnson&Johnson, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sinovac and Sinopharm. We have reserved 105.5 mil doses. We plan to give 10 million shots per month from July.”
Read 10 tweets
28 May
THREAD: Chulabhorn Royal Academy (CRA) will procure Sinopharm #COVID19 vaccines as a supplementary option to the govt’s vaccine rollout, which is more and more criticized for being chaotic. But even more chaotic was the news of a company claiming to supply to them…
1) Background: CRA consists of medical research centers and is chaired by Princess Chulabhorn. Royal Gazette announced this week that it can procure #COIVD19 vaccines. It’s seen as a slight against the govt’s increasingly messy mass vaccine policy, set to start Jun 7.
2) Observers also wondered if the royal decree would cut through any red tape, but officials quickly pointed out that whoever is importing #COVID19 vaccines still have to stick the rules, incl. of the @fdathai.
Read 11 tweets
5 May
THREAD: So here’s where the rumor came from that @pfizer’s #COVID19 vaccine is already in #Thailand even though @fdathai has not received any paperwork for approval yet and just rebuked this.

Let’s go down the rabbit hole…
1) It all started with self-exiled fmr Thai PM @ThaksinLive claiming in a live stream on Tuesday night that a small amount of @pfizer’s #COVID19 vaccine is already in #Thailand and given to a “probably a small group”.
2) @ThaksinLive claims that “it’s all online already for people to see” and points to @nytimes#COVID19 Vaccine Tracker (nytimes.com/interactive/20…) and @TrackVaccines.

This is were things start to fall apart…
Read 12 tweets

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